Method of making grommets



8, 1 40. A. M'WSWH 2,216,922

METHOD OF MAKING GROMMETS Filed May 19, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

1940. A. M. NAYSMITH I 2,216,922

' METHOD OF MAKING GROMMETS Filed May 19, 1939 3 Sheets-She'et 2 ATTORNEY.

Oct. 8, 1940. A. M. NAYSMITH METHOD OF MAKING GROMMETS Filed May 19, 1939 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITE-D 'iuit'rnopjonmmnc GROMMETS Ai cl ibaldjM. J ames F..Dre w, and J osef Budzi nski, Kenosha, Wis, assignors to Mac.-

omp'anyfKenosha, Wis, a corporation Application May .19, 1939, Serial No.-274,598

vcl imsjj (01.57-158) This invention relates to a grommet and to the method oi it. I-thas for one object'to provide a grommetmade of asingle piece of rope or cable which when the process of manufacture has beencompleted is spliced or otherwise made endless. Another object is to provide a method of making such agrommet. 1 1y Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and the claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings,

.wherein: t,

Figure l illustratesvthe core when bent; t .Figure 2 illustrates thecore when soldered or welded or joined by any other means;

Figure 3 illustrates the method of making, in which one wire or rope strand 'has been positioned about the'core; 3

Figure 4 illustratesthe grommet after allbut the center wire or rope has been putinlposition;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on an enlarged scale at line 5--5 :of Figure 4, showin the grommet before the core isjremoved;

Figure 6 is an elevation showingjone step in the removal of the core;

.Figure 7 illustratesa section of a completed grommet after the core has been removed, showing particularly the point at which the} strands are diverted to the center to replace the original or false core; Q

Figure 8 illustrates one step in the process. of splicing the strand, rope or cable which is put in place after the original working core has been removed; r M Figures 9 and 10 illustrate particularlyfstep s in splicing the rope ends inthe center, or perma nent core, of a cable laid grommet.

Likepa'rts are designated by lik characters throughout'the specification and the drawings.

I is a core. Ordinarily, it willbe made in the form of a rod 6r awiref' It is preferably welded, or otherwise jo'in'eddas at 2 to form a complete,

'endless'ring, g g

As shown in Figure 3 one "strand ofa wire rope 4' has been wound'aboutthe core 'I. For"convenience, the rope is carried on a speoltf" The process which is begun, as "shown in Figure 3,

, by wrapp ing or 'wimiiri gwr laying the rope aboutth'e core is continued untilthe *gronnnet 'is completed except forthe removal of the original working core l and the sub'stitutiomof a final or permanent-strand of rope or wire *Atakes 'by splicing or otherwise to finish the grommet.

in 'avise: B, or 'otherwise, "and may be to some degree: unwound for aportion of. its length so that the resistance to removal ofuthe core "I is reduced. As shown, the core has been partly pried out by means of a spike 1. 'The wire or 5 rope or cable; 4 has been laid in place except for the final strand which takes theplace of the core when the latter is removed.

orunwound successively about its circumference to permiti' the final strand .to fall into, place. "When the grommet is completed, such a strand occupies the place of the core I, as shown .in Figure 5. This portion of the. grommet is indicated in Figures 7 and. 8 :primarily by .the numeral 8. It is, of course, 'preferably continuous with thememberA which. forms the total grommet. I When the grommet has been completed, two ends of the permanent core remain to be spliced. They are; as shown in Figure 8,indicated tby the characters X and Y. :The splicehas: been partially completed, as shown in that figure, and

' comprises the portion Z. In making the .final splice, "all of the 'wires involved. may be woven into the isplice or parts may be removed by being cutofi. For example, the ends 9., I0, I l and I2 may be either worked into the splice or they may be cutoff and discarded. In general; the core may be removed by a variety-of methods and the inventionis not :limitedto the exact steps described but maybe generally understood to comprisethe steps of -forming .a grommet. by laying successive strands about: a core, thereafter removing the core and applying a, further strand to take the place of the core and finally joiningthe ends of the rope The grommet is, thus, made of .a. single, continuous piece of material which has two ends only, which ends are secured against unraveling and displacement in any manner desired.

While the method of finishing the. grommet by splicing'or otherwise securing the ends of the grommet-forming member may be accomplished in many diflerent ways, two are described below: "The grommet of this invention may be either -a rope-laid grommet or a cable-laid grome met. "A rope-laid grommet is one formed from a single strand and the direction of the grommet lay is usually opposite to the direction of the lay of the strand. Afcable-laid, grommet is-oneformed from a rope (the rope being w itself formed from a plurality of strands laid to form a rope). The direction of the grommet lay is usually opposite to the direction of the rope lay.

Whichever form of grommet is to be made, either rope lay or cable lay, the diameter of the false or temporary core is preferably somewhat larger than the strand or rope from which the grommet is to be made. In forming the grommet, the strand or rope from which it is to be made is selected and cut to the length required for the finished circumference of the grommet. The false core is generally cut somewhat shorter than the required finished circumference of the grommet because the latter generally lengthens when the false center is removed. This is, in part, due to the fact that the false center is, as above pointed out, normally somewhat larger in diameter than the strand or rope used in making the grommet.

While the length of strand or rope which is required to make a grommet of any specified, finished circumference may be determined in many ways, one simple method of determining this length is by multiplying the circumferential length by 1.05, then by 6, and by adding to the result the circumferential length; i. e., 6 (circ. x 1.05) plus circ. The factor 1.05 will in that case be a function of the grommet lay and the finished diameter of the grommet and, as indicated, is used to allow-for take-up or shortening due to the helical path of the six outer strands or ropes as they lie in the grommet. This method of calculation is given merely as embodying one suitable and convenient method. The invention is not limited to it.

Whichever type of grommet is made, either rope-laid or cable-laid,-the final finish of the grommet requires, as above mentioned, the removal of the false core and the securingof the ends, either of the strand or of the rope.

After laying of the grommet is completed, the ends of the strand or rope-are held back and the spike. I is forced in as shown in Figure 6. The false center is cut with a hacksaw, or otherwise.

In a rope-laid grommet, the ends X and Y of the strand 4 are tucked to replace the core I by forcing. one end of the core I out of the center of the grommet for a few inches with the spike I and then forcing a spike under two strands surrounding the core I; the end X of the strand 4 is, thus, brought under the point of the spike and forced into the center of the grommet. By rotating the spike about the grommet, the core I is progressively forced out and the end of the strand 4 is progressively forced in to assume the position formerly occupied by the false core I and to become a permanent core. Now the grommet is moved in the vise so that the'end Y of the strand 4 is held toprevent it from un-laying or, becoming loosened. The other end of the core Iis forced out of the center of the grommet and the end Y is progressively forced into replace the false coreas the. latter is. progressively removed. Finally, the false core is completely .removed and a strand4 occupies the position formerly occupied .by the false core. Thus, working from both ends, the falsecore has been removed and the new. core, comprising a section of the strand Y, has been forced into the center. The ends X and -Y are forced into the center and the completed grommet-assumesthe condition shown inFigure'Z. J a I In the case of a cable-laid grommet, the procedure for the removal of the false core I and'the replacement on insertion of the ends X and Y of the rope 4 is similar to that just described for a rope-laid grommet but with the exception that the tuck is locked by passing one rope end through the other rope end. Three strands or more of rope X are lifted by means of a spike, and rope Y is pushed through the opening thus formed, thus locking the tuck. Then, ends X and Y are forced into the center of the grommet to form the permanent core. In Figures 9 and 10, there is illustrated the splicing of the rope ends of a cable-laid grommet; that is to say, the splicing of the rope ends X and Y. As shown in Figure 9, the rest of the cable-laid grommet has been omitted. As shown in Figure 10, it is dotted When the cable-laid grommet of Figures 9 and 10 is substantially completed, that portion of the grommet where the rope ends emerge is placed under light tension and is partially untwisted or unlaid, thus fully exposing the ends to be spliced. The procedure from there on is similar to that used in making a long or endless splice, the alternate strands of each rope end X and Y replacing the strands in the opposite rope until the splice is completed and the two rope ends X and Yareproperly spliced together. When that is completed, then that portion of the grommet which has been untwisted or unlaid is allowed to twist again into shape. The

operation of joining the ends X and Y may be shortened by carrying each strand to be tucked under one strand and tucking it under two strands. Thus, the invention is not limited to any particular means of splicing or securing together the ends of the rope after the grommet has been laid, and the method illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 is merely one suitable method.

As above pointed out, the invention is not limited to the particular type of final securing of the member from which the grommet is made whether the latter be merely a strand or a rope.

Although there is shown an operative form of the device, it will be understood that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts might be made without departing from the spirit of this invention; and it is wished that the showing be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

We claim:

1. The method of making an endless grommet which comprises the following steps: making a ring-like, endless core of suitable diameter and thickness for the size of grommet desired, Winding about the core successive, continuous strands of rope, thereafter breaking and removing the core, and replacing the core by an additional strand of rope.

2. The method of making an endless grommet which comprises the following steps: making a ring-like, endless unitary core of suitable diameter and thickness for the size of grommet desired, winding about the core successive, continuous strands of rope,'thereafter breaking and removing the core, replacing thecore by an additional strand of rope, securing together the ends of the rope.

I 3. The method of making an endless, flexible grommet which comprises the following steps: making a ring-like, endless unitary core of suitable diameter and thickness for the, size of grommet desired, said diameter being uniform throughout the length of said core, winding about the said core successive, continuous strands of rope, thereafter breaking and removing the core, replacing the core byan additional strand of rope, securing together, by splicing, the ends of the rope.

4. The methodof forming a wire rope grommet, which includes the following steps: forming a ring of a single section of wire of'suitable diameter and thickness to provide a grommet of the desired diameter, winding about said core and about the diameter of said core a succession ofcontinuous unbroken wire rope strands until said core is completely surrounded, thereafter progressively removing said core from the grommet and progressively adding a final, continuous strand of rope, forcing said strand progressively into the space vacated by said core.

5. The method of forming a wire rope grommet, which includes the following steps: forming a core ring of suitable diameter and thickness to provide a grommet of the desired size, winding about said core ring and about the diameter of said core a succession of continuous wire rope strands until said core is completely surrounded, thereafter progressively removing said core from the grommet and progressively adding a final, continuous strand of rope, forcing said strand progressively into the space vacated by said core and finally securing together the two ends of said wire rope. 6. The method of forming a wire rope grommet, which includes the following steps: forming a core ring of suitable diameter and thickness to provide a grommet of the desired size,

after severing said core and progressively removing said core from the grommet and progressively adding a final, continuous strand of rope, forcing said strand progressively into the space vacated by said core.

7. The method of forming a wire rope grommet, which includes the following steps: forming a core ring of suitable diameter and thickness to provide a grommet of the desired size, making said ring endless, winding about said core and about the diameter of said core a succession of continuous wire rope strands until said core is completely surrounded, thereafter severing said core and progressively removing said core from the grommet and progressively as the core is removed adding a final, continuous strand of rope, forcing said strand progressively into the space vacated by said core as the latter is removed, and finally securing together, by splicing within the grommet, the two ends of saidwire rope, after the last strand has been forced into the place from which the core was removed.

ARCHIBALD M. NAYSMITH. JAMES F. DREW. JOSEF BUDZINSKI. 

